Curbing crime: Vehicle registration to be computerised

Officials say new procedure will reduce number of fake certificates.

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Transport has finalised its plans to computerise all vehicle fitness certificates, replacing the old manual method.

The directorate has designed a special software costing Rs9.7 million with a main server in the head office and 13 district transport offices at regional levels.

“The computerised system will insure that the system becomes transparent, reducing the amount of corruption,” Management Information System’s Manager Muhammad Imran told The Express Tribune.

He added that 11 computer operators had been hired and will receive special training to operate the new software. He said the system may start functioning next month.

“The directorate will issue special security codes to all owners of vehicles that will be checked through bar code readers, preventing fake certificates circulating,” Imran said.

Directorate of Transport Provincial Director Manzoor Ahmad said that the directorate was utilising all resources to make the issues relating to transport department as transparent as possible and providing facilities to common people at their doorsteps.

“The main server will be connected to all district offices, to monitor all activities and insure fake certificates cannot be issued,” Ahmad said.

He added that all vehicle owners will be responsible to get their vehicle fitness certificates regularly insuring a cleaner environment in the province.

Motor vehicle examiner Malik Muddasir said there would be “great changes in the transport system as this system is at par with those in developed countries.”

He added that a special awareness campaign would be carried out to educate vehicle drivers on cooperating in this matter with the government, which in turn would be helpful in ensuring a smoother flow of traffic.

Established in 2008, the provincial directorate will further be granted the authority to issue licences, rout permits and registrations in the near future, which are currently scattered in the departments of traffic and excise and taxation.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2012.